Method of galvanizing.



W. GIBSON, Sn. & R. SKEMP.

rmuoo or GALVANIZING.

APPLICATION FILED MAFLS. I912.

1,140,898. Patented May 25, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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WITNESSES INVENTOR S W. GIBSON, Sn. & R. SKEMP. METHOD OF GALVANIZING.APPLICATION FILED mm. 9, 1912.

1,140,898. Patented May 25, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Q WITNES$ ES INVENTORS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM. GIIBON, SE, OF VANDEBGRIFT, AND ROBERT KEMP, OF SCOTTDALE,PENN- SYLVANIA, ASSIGNOBS TO AMERICAN SHEET & TIN I'LATE COMPANY, OFPITTS- BURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF GALVANIZING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 9, 1912. Serial No. 882,866.

To all whom it ma concern:

Be it known tiat we, WILLIAM GIBSON, Sn, and Ronnn'r SKEMP, bothcitizens of the United States, residing at Vandergrift, in the county ofWestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, and Scottdale, in the county ofVVestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, respectively, have invented anew and useful Method of Galvanizing, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to the coating of metal and more particularlyrelates to the galvanizing of metal sheets and plates.

Heretofore in coating metals by existing methods, great difficulty hasbeen experienced in keeping the surface of the molten metal or metalalloy, through which the sheets or other articles pass, free fromoxidation and in a free flowing condition as the articles leave thegalvanizing pot. When the articles are mechanically conveyed through thepot, the surfaces of the exit rolls become covered more or less withmetallic oxid which adheres to the sheets in patches, and prevents thedesired uniform distribution of the coating. The coating on the sheetsor other articles also is liable to rapid oxidation while still molten,such oxidation preventing a uniform flow of the coating on the coatedarticle and also acting to give a dull appearance to the surfaces of thecoating.

One object of our invention is to provide a novel method of coating ironand steel sheets or other articles whereby the formation andaccumulation of films or layers of metallic oxid on the surface of themolten metal is to a considerable extent prevented and overcome, anddamage to the coated materials delivered from the galvanizing pot orother receptacle containing the molten coating is avoided.

Another object of our invention is to secure fluidity and preventoxidation of the molten metal on the surfaces of the sheets or otherarticles being coated, and thereby secure uniformity of coating andobtain the desired lustrous appearance of the coated materials.

A further object of this invention is to provide novel means whereby thesteps of our improved method are carried out or effected.

Still further objects of the invention will appear, as the invention ismore fully described hereinafter.

Our invention is applicable for use in galvanizing by handling thematerials manually in dipping and withdrawing the materials being coatedfrom the bath of molten metal, as well as to galvanizing by the aid ofmechanical means. As the latter process is in more general use, theaccompanying drawings formin part of this specification have been descried with reference to the coating of metals by the aid of mechanicalmeans employed in conveying the sheets or other articles into andthrough the bath of molten metal or alloyed metals forming the coatingmaterial.

In t e accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan showing a galvanizingpot having conveying mechanism mounted therein by which the materialsbeing coated are caused to enter, pass through and emerge from thegalvanizin pot, and having apparatus mounted t ereon by which ourimproved process is .carried out. Fig. 2 is an elevation, on an enlargedscale, showing the apparatus forming part of this invention as appliedfor use on the galvanizing pot in carrying out the steps of our improvedprocess. Fi 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation ta en on the lineIII-III of fn the drawings, the numeral 2 designates a galvanizing pothaving feed-in rolls 3 and 4 and feed-out rolls 5 and 6. The 'des emloyed in connection with the eed-in an feed-out rolls in conveying thematerials through the pot are omitted for the sake of clearness.

Secured on one end of the galvanizing pot 2 by the knee 7 so as to belocated to one side of the pot 2 is the grinding or pulverizingmechanism 8 and in the ho per 9 of the grinding mechanism a supp y ofsal-ammoniac or other suitable fluxing material is maintained, which isground and fed in regulated quantities into the funnel or hopper 10located below the delivery opening 11 in the grinding mechanism 8 whenthe mechanism is actuated by the belt connecting the pulley 19 thereonwith the pulley driving mechanism. -The lower, smaller end of the hopper10 rojects through an o ning in the top of t e shield or hood 23 w ichis arranged to extend over the side of the galvanizing pot 2. The bottomopening 12 in the funnel 10 is located to one side of the exit orfeed-out rolls 5 and G and in vertical alinement with the contactingfaces of these rolls.

On one side of the galvanizing pot 2 is a horizontally extending pipe orconduit 13 having an opening 14 in one end. The axial center of thispipe, the center of the outlet opening 12 in the funnel 10 and the lineof contact between the surfaces of thefeed-out rolls 5 and 6 are all inthe same vertical plane and a valve 15 is provided on the pipe orconduit 13 to regulate and control the supply of compressed air or othergaseous fluid delivered therethrough.

The grinding mechanism 8 has a worm 16 therein which is mounted inbearings 17 and 1S and a driven pulley 19 on the outer end of the worm16 is connected by a belt 20 to a driving pulley 21 secured on thecounter-shaft 22. The counter-shaft 22 preferably is connected by a beltor other suitable means with the driving mechanism for the feed rolls inthe galvanizing pot 2 although separate driving means may be employedfor the grinding mechanism when found necessary or desirable.

In carrying out the steps of our improved method, the feed-in rolls 3and 4 and feedout rolls 5 and 6 are operated in the usual manner incarrying plates or sheets into and through the bath of molten spelter orother coating material maintainedin the ot. p Carbon dioxid or othersubstantially dry non-oxidizing gas is supplied under pressure throughthe pipe 13 t0 the galvanizing pot 2, a stream of the gaseous fluidissuin from the opening 14 in the end of the pipe 13. The stream ofgaseous fluid is caused to pass through the open end 24 of the shield orcover 23 and across the face of the feedout rolls 5 and 6 on the exitside of the pot 2 so that the sheets and plates or other materials inemerging from the pot issue from.

between these rolls into an atmosphere consisting in whole or in part ofnon-oxidizing gases. The grinding mechanism 8 being operated when thegalvanizing pot 2 is in operation, the sal-ammoniac or other fiuxinagent placed in the hopper 9 is ground and a steady stream of finelydivided flux is gradually fed through the exit opening 11 into thefunnel 10. The funnel 10 directs the regulated quantities of the fluxingagent into the path of the stream of ases issuing from the openin 14 inthe cm? of the pipe 13 and is carrie thereb over the surface of themetal between the eed-out rolls 5 and 6, on the exit side of theserolls, and across the coated surfaces of the articles emerging frombetween the feed-out rolls.

The particles of sal-ammoniac or other fluxing agent act to decomposeany metallic oxid which may have been formed on the molten metal at thepoint of exit of the coated material from the galvanizing pot or on thesurfaces of the molten coating adboring to the coated material emergingfrom the pot and act t produce a fluidity of the coating metalailhei-ing to the coated surfaces of the emerging materials, whichinsures a uniform and complete distribution of the molten coating overthe surfaces of the material being coated.

The advantages of our invention will be apparent to those skilled in theart.

By supplying finely divided Sal-ammoiiiac or other fluxing agent to thesurface of the molten metal at the exit end of the galvanizing pot andby supplying finely divided fiuxing agent to the molten coating on thecoated material emerging from the pot, the coating metal is maintainedin a fluid condition and a uniform distribution of the coating issecured with an absence of list1 on the ends or edges of the coatedmaterla The sheets or other articles being coated are caused to emergefrom the molten bath of galvanizing metal into an atmosphere formedwholly or partially of dry nonoxidizing gases and the coating metal isthereby kept from oxidation, the luster of the coating is preserved andan improved material is obtained.

hlodifications in the construction and arrangement of the apparatus andchanges in the steps of the method may be made without departing fromour invention.

Air or other aseous fluid pressure may be used instead of carbon dioxidto propel or impinge the fluxin agent across the face of the metal atthe f eed-out rolls on the exit side thereof and across the surfaces ofmaterial emerging from the pot.

The means employed in supplying the finely divided fluxing agent to thefeed-out rolls or point of exit from the pot, and across the surfaces ofarticles coated may be varied and other changes may be made. Zincchlorid and other fluxing agents may be employed in carryingout thesteps of our improved method within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim 1. The method of coating sheets and similar metal articleswhich consists in conveying the articles through a molten bath ofcoating metal, and impinging a finely divided fluxing agent upon themolten surfaces of the coating on the articles as the articles leave thebath of coating metal, to thereby prevent oxidation and secure a uniformdistribution of the coating metal on the surfaces of the coatedarticles.

2. The method of coating sheets and similar metal articles whichconsists in conveying the articles through a. molten bath of -of themolten coatin coating metal into an atmosphere of at least partiallynon-oxidizing gases and simultaneously applying a finely divided fluxingagent upon the molten surfaces of the coating metal on the articles asthe articles leave the bath of coating metal, to thereby preventoxidation and secure a uniform distribution of the molten coating metalon the surfaces of the coated articles.

3. The method of coating sheets and the like which consists inmechanically conveying the articles through a molten bath of coatingmetal, causing the coated articles to emerge therefrom into anatmosphere at least partially formed of non-oxidizing gases, andimpinging a finely divided fluxing agent on the molten surfaces of thecoating upon the articles emerging from the pot and to the uppermostsurfaces of the feed-out rolls during the coating operations, to therebyprevent oxidation of the coating and secure a uniform distribution ofthe coating metal on the surfaces of the coated materials.

4. The method of coating sheets and other articles, which consists inmechanically passing the sheets through the molten coating metal andimpinging a finely divided fluxing agent on the surface of the moltencoating on the articles and the uppermost surfaces of the feed-out rollsat the exit end of the pot during the coating operations to therebyprevent oxidized coating metal adhering to the surfaces of said feed-outrolls.

5. The method of coating sheets or plates consisting in passing them'aterials into and through the bath of coating metal, feeding thesheets out of the bath of coating metal by means of feed-out rollers,feeding regulated quantities of a suitable fluxing agent during thecoating operations to the surface on the coated materials at the exit enof the pot and the surfaces of the feed-out rolls by blowing the finelydivided flux across the uppermost faces of the rolls and across thesurfaces of the articles emerging from the pot by means of a blast ofgaseous fluid pressure.

6. The method of coating sheets or plates consisting in passing thematerials into and through the bath of coating metal in feeding thesheets out of the bath of coating metal by means of feed-out rollers,blowing a stream of gases across the exit end of the pot to create anatmosphere of at least partially non-oxidizing gases into which thesheets emerge from the pot and utilizing the force of the stream ofgases to distribute a finely divided flux on the surface of the moltenmetal, the faces of the rolls and across the fluid coating on the coatedarticles to prevent oxidation of the coating and produce fluidity of thecoating metal and thereby secure uniform distribution of the coating onthe coated materials.

7. The method of coating sheets and other articles consisting in passingthe materials into and through the bath of coating metal, blowing astream of gases across the molten metal at the exit end of the pot tocreate an at least partly non-oxidizing atmosphere into which the coatedmaterials emerge, feeding a finely divided fiuxing agent in regulatedquantities into the path of the stream of gases and utilizing the forceof the stream of gases to distribute the finely divided flux on themolten metal at the exit end ofthe pot to prevent oxidization and securefluidity of the coating metal on the surface 'of the coated. materialsand thereby secure a uniform coating free from breaks and patches, andof a lustrous appearance.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands.

WILLIAM GIBSON, Sn. ROBT. SKEMP.

Witnesses to the signature of William Gibson, Sn:

FRANK T. MGGINNIs, CHAS. J. WILLENBERG.

Witnesses to the signature of Robt. Skemp:

G. C. KIMBALL, S. B. Yoannr.

tlon in Letters Patent No. 1,140,898.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,140,898, granted May25, 1915, upon the application of William Gibson, Sr., of Vandergrift,and Robert Skemp, of

Soottdale, Pennsylvania, for an improvement --in Methods of Galvanizing,an

' error appears in the printed specification requiring correction asfollows: Page 3,

line 78, for the word "oxidization read oxidation; and that the saidLetters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the samemay conform to the record-of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of July, A. D., 1915.

[SEALJ R. F. WHITEHEAD,

Acting C'ommism'xmer of Patent.

